Counter Reformation Humour

Abstract

The Catholic reformation drastically altered the framework of time, space and social relations for the population of the Spanish Netherlands. Some historians have alleged that the new demands of the clergy largely matched the deep rooted religiosity of the people and that therefore towards the end of the seventeenth century the clergy became more demanding.¹ Others have radically doubted this and argued that the gap between the clergy and the artisans and labourers was in fact deepening throughout the century.² While the common people were pushed into a passive role by the baroque spectacles in the cities, still others argued, they nevertheless stuck to their own culture, which meant that around 1700 the popular festivals resurged.³ At the political level, although the central Spanish authorities strengthened their position, local urban resistance and power nevertheless still achieved significant results.⁴